Sunday, June 20, 2010

Housatonic Hills Race - steaming hot, hard climbs and fast decents

One more road race in Connecticut. SUNDAY JUNE 20, 2010 at the SOUTHBURY TRAINING SCHOOL, SOUTHBURY, CT: Housatonic Hills Road Race.

Two GABs Karl and Py and Tori/East End left the Island very earl Sunday morning taking a road trip all the way around to CT as the ferry unfortunately does not go as early Sundays. Here in the Cat 3/4 staging:

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Karl and Py rolled out in a field of 100 riders neutral strait up on the first climb out of the box.

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Flying downhills in a big field not much spreading at all was a bit scary at up to 50mph, Karl managed to stay more in front and Py kept at least an eye on him... some what drifting a bit more back, seams he needs to be more "aggressive" holing his spot. However, three major climbs and the last one (two laps of 25 mi) was an KOM, that was about where he lost contact to Karl and the front group as the big field finally got separated. (Need to review video footage, about 1 7/8 of 2 laps got full video covered until out of memory)
From then on the riders behind the front got stringed out over about 1 minute.

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Hitting the 1st climb the 2nd time he moved more up and a kind of chase or just 2nd group of a much more comfortable size (some ~25 riders, just a guess) organized, a Rapha guy, some Luzzos he remembers, as he stayed mostly in first few with them from now on -- what was fun and good work. One their way Karl happed to join up with this groups for a while. The last big climb just before the KOM was a long great one and he feelt good and was going a bit (possibly too motivated in front) and got to the top of the pre KOM climb side by side with the Rapha guy 239 -- that was fun.

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Flying down again, (wasting too much energy in front...) to the 2nd visit of the KOM and last climb, about 1/2 way up to the KOM he got a bit behind this group... and chased on until the finish where he almost got them, few second ahead...

Watch Py's helmet camera video here: http://greenarmbandits.com/node/491

Was fun and great ride -- uups race. Also the organization and setting at this "Southberry Training School" was very nice, also they had plenty of good stuff us after the race! Front ice cold water, Chocolate-milk, Peaches, great big oatmeal cookies (my favorites!), bananas, water melons, yogurt, ...... just great after that hot and very humid day!

BIG THUMBs UP TO THE ORGANIZERs AND ALL THE VOLUNTEER!!


And to the CAT Pro/1/2's (and all others) excitement -- one of the Giro de Idalia riders of the Cervelo Test Team was also racing! Well, and guess what, won that....

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